Society tends to idolize the vision of a perfectly-planned, Pinterest-worthy, fairytale wedding. In reality, we should be more concerned with who is going to be waiting at the end of the aisle or walking down it. Typically, celebrities set the worst examples of profligate spending on disposable love. The fiancés sport extravagant diamond rings, the media can spin a true love story out of a superficial romance, and a glorious, swoon-worthy wedding gets plastered all over the Internet.
This is not intended to be a cynical piece. I would be lying if I said I have never gawked at pictures of beautiful weddings and thought that may be nice. Some people really have a true connection with real love and have huge, over-the-top weddings and live happily ever after. I am by no means saying that having a large, beautiful wedding is a bad thing; it isn't. However, the luxurious ceremony should not overshadow the meaning behind it. I know that my dream wedding is more centered on finding a dream groom rather than a perfectly designed center piece. The amount of money that you spend on a wedding, the number of people you have watching it, and the dreamy atmosphere does not represent how much emotion is between you and your significant other.
A show that was popular a few years ago on TLC was called "Four Weddings." The premise of the show was that four women were getting married, and they all had to attend each other's weddings. After the ceremonies, the brides literally had to rank each other’s weddings based on all of the insignificant elements. They discussed the venue, the food, the dress, and the guest experience. Not to mention, the brides that spent the most money on their weddings usually ended up winning. Now, I am guilty of binge watching reruns of this show, but what a message to send. Is the underlying message that a marriage will better if their guests had a great time and there was a better steak served for dinner at their wedding?
There are innumerable television series that hone in on the details of the wedding rather than the significance behind it. Another one is "Say Yes to the Dress." It is another extremely entertaining show on TLC where bridezillas spend an incredible amount of money on wedding dresses and yell at their mother and sisters for not being as enthusiastic about a dress as they are. While I think that it is entirely understandable for brides and grooms to want to look amazing on their wedding days, I think that task can be accomplished without all of the unnecessary frills. I know that I want a beautiful dress for my wedding day, but you can bet your bottom dollar I will not be indulging in a $34,000 Pnina Tornai. Once again, it is much more important to me to know that I will have a smiling fiancé at the end of the aisle regardless if I am wearing a potato sack or a princess gown.
Another extremely popular television series is "The Bachelor"/"The Bachelorette." Most of my friends watch these series religiously. Reality dating shows like these pressure the contestants into forced romances with one another for the pleasure of viewers at home. Every once in a blue moon, there are couples that truly do hit it off and live a successful life together. However, the majority of the time the miraculous marriages and relationships get called off shortly after the show season has ended.
Marriage should not be something that we consider as disposable as we do. According to the American Psychological Association, 40 to 50 percent of marriages in the U.S. end in divorce. That is a real cold hard fact.There are a lot of factors that go into a successful marriage. One of those key factors does not have to be a wedding of Kim and Kanye caliber. My parents escaped to a Las Vegas to say their vows in a small ceremony that only consisted of the two of them, two witnesses, and the preacher. They have been happily married for 28 years. So maybe it’s time for people to start appreciating marriage for what it is--the unity of two people that are truly in love and want to spend the rest of eternity dedicated to one another--rather than an opportunity to out-do all of your friends and compete with off-the-charts ceremonies that the media portrays.
